Sussex

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland Road (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Hurzeler confirmed Kaoru Mitoma will miss the final two Premier League matches after a hamstring injury against Wolves. He said the club is "in touch" with the Japanese FA and will "make a decision together" if Mitoma can participate at the World Cup.

• The Brighton boss added this is a "big blow" but he can rely on his squad as they have "good availability" and the club has shown "the whole season that we can always replace important players".

• He explained: "We see it more as a chance, a challenge, an opportunity to stick together as a team to face adversity, to show the right reactions. We can only do it by having great togetherness, by knowing that everyone in this team now can have an impact on our squad, our performance."

• Diego Gomez is fit and an option for Sunday, while Mats Wieffer could be in the squad but the club will need to see over the next few days.

• Hurzeler insisted "intensity" is the identity of his side: "We want to have that always on the pitch. We always want to start well, it's always nice to have a good start into a game, a good feeling, getting the fans behind yourself, dominating the opponents. That is always the idea, but it is not always possible because there is an opponent as well that wants to start well."

• On the excitement of potentially getting a place in the Champions League: "I feel the biggest excitement going to the special stadium, to the special atmosphere, facing a really strong opponent and preparing my team the best we can prepare."

• Hurzeler said he is "very impressed" by forward Danny Welbeck, who has been included in Thomas Tuchel's 55-man provisional England squad: "He gets these rewards because he deserves it and he works hard for it. I'm very pleased he is nominated for the big squad. Hopefully he can make the squad going to the World Cup."

• On Leeds United and playing at Elland Road: "I am expecting a team that is difficult to beat. I think they haven't lost since March in the Premier League, so it shows they're on a really good run. They have some good individual qualities, they play intense, they changed to a back five so it's a very compact team on the one side, but also an active team."

• He continued: "I think it is a special atmosphere playing in their stadium [Elland Road]. The fans are behind them, they've achieved something really nice by staying In the league so we expect a tough challenge."

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Brighton and Hove Albion could be looking at a top-six finish, and reaching the European dream, but what would that mean for their finances?

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire broke down the costs on the Brighton and Hove Albion podcast.

He explained: "It is really exciting [looking at a top six finish]. Some people have already thought about booking hotels for next May. Which is probably taking things a bit far. We could be in three European competitions, we could be in none. There's a huge buzz of excitement amongst the fanbase."

So is reaching the Champions League a gamechanger for the club, over the other two European competitions financially?

Maguire added: "If you take a look at the distribution of prize money. For every £100 given out in prize money, £74 goes to the Champions League, £18 to the Europa League and £8 to the Europa conference. To a certain extent it's Champions League or nothing."

Maguire explained the Europa Conference League can be difficult for clubs financially, because games are then often played on Sundays and Thursdays - typically more difficult days to sell hospitality packages. In addition, there's the need for a bigger squad.

"You actually make less money from the Premier League if you're in the Europa Conference, you don't make much money yourself," Maguire added.

"Palace have earned £15m this year. But by the time you have paid for travel, player bonuses and invested in an extra two or three match-standard players in the squad, you're actually down in money.

"Some of these revenue streams are overstated. Just how much exposure are you going to get? How much extra shirts are you going to sell? Even if Brighton do get into the Champions League, where are all the eyes? On Liverpool, Arsenal etc. Because they are the bigger brands. There will be people watching Albion, and you're hosting Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, they're great as a one-off. But I don't think it is as lucrative for the ancillary revenue streams.

"Then there's the sensitive issue of how you price the matches. Would they expect prices to be higher? Yes. Then you've got the fan backlash as they're going, 'you've go this money from sponsors, TV, why are you now taking money off us?'

"The Albion need to get that decision right. I don't think they will maximise revenue because Tony Bloom is a Brighton fan. I don't think they will go down that route if they do go there."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here

Explore all Brighton and Hove Albion content on BBC Sounds

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann has outlined his idea to improve how corners are officiated in future.

In the aftermath of weekend controversy over players grappling in the penalty area, he has told BBC Sport a rule whereby attacking players cannot enter the six-yard box until a corner has been taken would be his preference.

Ex-Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha backed the idea and thinks it will add "creativity" to corner kicks and the move would force "people to think in a different way".

You can watch a clip of the debate above, with Onuoha stating: "Twenty players standing in the six-yard box, you have to ask yourself, is that what you want to see? And is that the best version of the game?"

• Listen to the show in full on BBC Sounds

• Watch the show in full on iPlayer

Albion Unlimited from BBC Radio Sussex is back with a new episode.

Midfielder Jack Hinshelwood assesses the win against Wolves. There's chat on Maxim De Cuyper and football finance expert Kieran Maguire explores the possible pros and cons of a second season in Europe.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up